The Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai, visiting the Maronite village of Qlaya (Marjayoun), on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (Photo published on the Patriarch's Facebook account.)
Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai said Sunday, during a tour of south Lebanon — his second since August of this year — that "maintaining a strong and protected south is the guarantee of Lebanon's survival," calling for the deployment of the Lebanese Army across the entire southern territory. His remarks were delivered in a homily at Saint George Church in the Maronite village of Qlaya (Marjayoun district). Inhabited by 8,000 residents, this town is located 800 meters above sea level and four kilometers from the border with Israel.
"Lebanon cannot be built without justice for the South and its inhabitants ... Maintaining a strong and protected south is the guarantee of the country’s survival," the patriarch said. "Your land has paid a heavy price, but it has remained unbreakable. We hope for imminent peace, a peace consolidated by the total and definitive withdrawal of Israel and the affirmation of the legitimate sovereignty of the state over all its territory," he added.
"The Lebanese Army, through its pride and authority, is the only guarantee and protection for our land and people, the only guarantor of our borders and the defense of our dignity. The deployment of the army across the entire territory of the south is not only a demand but also a sovereign right and a national duty," Rai re-emphasized. He regularly calls on Hezbollah to hand over its weapons to the state and has repeatedly spoken out in his Sunday homilies against the “front in support of Gaza” declared by the party.
"It is everyone’s responsibility ... to unite to rebuild Lebanon on solid foundations: unwavering sovereignty, a strong rule of law, a productive economy that keeps people on their land and ensures them a dignified life, and a spiritual and patriotic education fostering new generations who love Lebanon and serve it sincerely," he finally preached.
The head of the Maronite Church made a tour with more than ten stops, from Jarmaq (Jezzine) to Odaisseh (Saida). He was accompanied in particular by Bishop Charbel Abdallah, bishop of the Eparchy of Sour. On August 10 last year, Rai called for peace and spoke out against the devastation of war during a pastoral visit to villages along Lebanon's southern border, where he was warmly welcomed by residents.
